Love your Enemies

In 2006 I was managing an eleven story high rise apartment building. There was one guest that had been notified she could no longer be on the property but continued to visit anyway, and each time was taken into custody by the police for trespassing. On a quiet September afternoon I was informed that this woman was in the building and causing problems. I went to the apartment where she was, spoke with her, and waited with her for the police to arrive and take her into custody. I could tell that she was more volatile than any of the other times we’d had contact. Ultimately she lost control and hit my leasing agent in the face. When I attempted to distract her she grabbed me and dragged me across the floor by my hair. She then proceeded to attempt to break my neck, an action she nearly accomplished. As she was screaming every filthy word I’d ever heard, inches from my face, along with her intentions of my demise I suddenly began screaming for God to save me. The next door neighbor heard all the screaming, came in, and managed to remove her arm from the back of my neck and I was then able to get her hands out of my hair. I was finally free. I was taken to the emergency room at the hospital and it was discovered that I had a serious neck and back injury that were non-repairable. 

The following day I was arrested due to an active warrant discovered the previous day. Ultimately the charges were seen as the false accusations they were from a very angry, hatred filled former supervisor but it took a year to straighten it all out. I then had a serious neck and back injury and criminal charges to deal with. Two weeks later one of my very best friends died very suddenly and that pushed me over the edge. At that time and again six months later I determined I simply had nothing left and decided to end my life. However, both times I realized that I could not do that to my son so I stopped and began screaming out my anger and frustration to God, to Jesus, to anyone who might listen. I wasn’t sure at that point anyone was listening.

I began to look for ways to deal with everything as feelings of hopelessness took over. I then began to recall the words of Jesus when he said we are to love our enemies and pray for them. I felt moved to begin to pray for the man pressing criminal charges against me but I fought against that. I just couldn’t do it but Jesus wouldn’t let me go. Finally I began to pray for this man. I began asking God to bless him and to make his life successful. Daily I prayed that he would find peace from the rage that lived in him and had become a part of him. At first I didn’t mean a word of it but as time went on and I continued to pray for him I began to feel less anger. I began to feel compassion for him, and ultimately I began to really believe in the prayers I was offering up on his behalf. I discovered that Jesus’ command to love our enemies was real and that there was great power and peace to be found if we followed his direction. 

Matthew 5:43-44 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.  

~Jean Harris